NakanaideHen
by Arthuria
Summary: Don't cry chapter. An own Higurashi chapter of mine. Rika takes a last hope of escaping her tragic fate, by going to one she called for help. Akasaka Mamoru.
1. Chapter 1 Family

I've taken liberties to make a Higurashi arc of my own. Higurashi no naku koro ni isn't owned by me I just have a love for writing. This could be seen as a "What if" Scenario and I've taken liberties to twist the story a bit as I please. But I still hold strong to make everyone act as they should. Out of character acting is a horrible thing unless it has a background development. I got inspiration to do this right after I've watched the opening to the second season.

Nakanaide-hen. Don't cry- chapter.

Chapter 1: Family

_I want to live peacefully. I want to live peaceful__ly and have many happy days._

_I don't………want to die._

His hand was warm on my shoulder. If I should describe him it would be like warm and fluffy rice. Light, a bit tasteless, but yet simple and enjoyable.

-"I don't want to die."

Oyashiro-samas will cannot be changed, especially not by someone mortal like you.

-"Rika-chan……" You look sincerely worried. You look worried over my fate and me. But you cannot save me. I cannot leave this village, and I cannot fight my fate.

-"Akasaka-san. You should be going home. Go back to Tokyo."

¤¤¤

She wanted me to take her away from there.

-"Rika-chan… What you said before…… About not being able to live anywhere else then here." Her eyes still seem distant, as if they didn't look at me or anything else in the environment. As if Rika-chan wasn't present at all.

-"Mi." Then suddenly, just like before she smiles cheerfully like the first time we met only two days ago. I can't really believe in what she said, it fully goes against all reason. Yet a part of me, seems to believe.

And that part is terrified of losing Rika-chan. "Akasaka-san. My parents still live here. I can't leave; and I can't live in the city I already said that."

-"Well I have to be leaving Rika-chan. I'm taking an early train in the morning." It's ridicules, foreseeing events like that, as if she was some kind of prophet. Rika-chan is just Rika-chan. Her small hands take mine, holding gently as if she were the one afraid of breaking them.

-"Akasaka-san needn't worry. The festival will be allot better the coming years." I just blink at her, seeming surprised "Nipa"

¤¤¤

Oyashiro-sama watches you. He stands by your bedside looking down at you. The shadow that is watching you, that is Oyashiro-sama.

_I don't want to die._

Rika curled up in her bed closing her eyes. She knew very well what was looking down at her. The shadow that spoke through her. Sometimes she couldn't separate it's will from her own. But she knew, she knew so well. That this year, now at this very night at the Watanagashi, her family would be the ones to die. She didn't know who would execute the murderers, but they would happen. And she would be left alone. She tugged at her long sleeve, she was still wearing her festival gear, the miko outfit.

When would it happen? How would it happen? She'd never imagined she'd be this frightened. She'd always known, she even predicted the deaths. She could have told them of their coming fate and-

And then what? She was merely an observer and a tool for Oyashiro-sama. Would people, after things have gotten this far, believe her words?

She heard sounds outside the shrine. The adults festival was still going on. Drinking and celebrating. Celebrating Oyashiro-sama? Or the survival of Hinamizawa? Or something else?

Rika got up from her bed and opened the door carefully. Then walked down the corridor feeling how her red miko pants where almost dragging against the wooden floor. There wasn't much to observe at the festival grounds right now. Her classmates should already be home by now. Hopefully Satoko would be alright, she had Satoshi with her after all.

Satoshi.

She stopped in her tracks feeling that she was about to vomit. What fate would possibly await Satoko after that?

First loosing her parents, then loosing her only brother. She knew all this but could say nothing and do nothing.

She had never intended to befriend Satoko, at least not being this close, having her come over so often as she did. Having them get along so great. She was of the Houjo family but Rika didn't care the least about that.

But she had foreseen her own death as well as Satokos parents and brother. She would have to leave her best friend to such a fate of loneliness. A fate worse then death. She knew that she was the indirect cause of it; at least she felt that way. But her role as merely the observer remained unchanged. Observe until then end then die. Live alone, close yourself of until the end, safest for the others. Don't make friends, you'll soon loose them. She let her forehead lean against the outside door, now hearing the festival clearly. The music and the celebrating. The others could go on happily; they didn't count the days as she did. The curse must frighten them, not knowing who would be struck down next. But she knew, but she could do nothing.

-"Satoko……" She whispered so low so that she barely heard it herself. She felt her fist clench and she hated herself for her selfishness.

But she couldn't stand Hinamizawa any longer; she felt herself slide down on her knees staring at the floor, her hand still placed on the thin door. She hated this life, and she hated this role. But she hated herself the most, and then her inside was thrown up.

¤¤¤

-"Why is such a little girl like yourself making such an advanced call?" The older mans voice had a cheery and concerning tone to his voice. He seemed confident Rika was just joking or had dialled the wrong number.

-"I'm looking for Akasaka Mamoru-san." Rika said in a cheerful tone trying to sound happy and carefree, she was good at faking such emotions, pretending that last night hadn't been like it was.

-"Are you his daughter?" The voice on the other end still seeming cheerful.

-"A distant relative. Nipa." The voice chuckled.

-"I'll get him over here." He continued to chuckle as he left the phone and a minute later she heard a more familiar voice.

-"This is Inspector Akasaka."

-"Nipa!"

-"Ah Rika-chan! I'd never thought I'd hear from you again." He sounded as genuinely happy as she remembered him. "How are things in Hinamizawa?" For a moment Rika found herself going silent. If this was going to work she would have to deny her entire role as Oyashiro-samas priestess. Was she willing to do that? Going against Oyashiro-samas will, the will that she herself had been claiming unchangeable for so long now.

-"Everything is good Akasaka-san."

¤¤¤

He breathed out. He noticed himself now that he had, mostly sub concisely, been over worried over Rika-chans safety. Hearing her voice now had at first made him incredibly worried but her now glad tone had calmed him. To be very honest his life wasn't looking all that bright. Miyukie, his daughter. Was spending more time with his sister and her man then him. She still was at such a young age, and his sister and her husband had been willing to look after her during the first critical years. She needed a mother in her life after all. But now she was living full time with him, but his sister paid him daily visits.

-"That's good to hear Rika-chan." There was some silence on the line for a moment. "Rika.chan?"

-"Akasaka-san. Can I, come and live with you?" He almost jumped back several meters, he actually didn't expect that to come.

-"Li, live with me?"

-"Just for a little while, a visit."

-"Ri right, a visit." He smiled slightly, for a moment it had sounded like she had wanted to move in with him, but that was a ridicules thought. That was complicated and as good as impossible.

¤¤¤

-"What are you talking about Rika-chama?" The old man tried to encourage her after the loss of her grandfather, the shrine owner and her grandmother. The ones she had been living with as long as she could remember. They had been supporting for her all her life, through all her days. Yet she still felt a feeling of relief that they were gone. It felt horrible to feel such a thing, relief over your dead relatives. Nevertheless they were, according to paper, the only ones who could drag her back to Hinamizawa. Now she just needed to overcome the strong call of Oyashiro-sama, and the even stronger regret of leaving Satoko behind. Then she could run away from her tragic fate; and start to live.

-"I'm going to see a distant relative in Tokyo."

-"A relative in Tokyo? I've never heard of that Rika-chama."

-"Well I said he was a distant relative after all." Her face lit up in a smile. "Nipa."

-"Rika-chama……" The old man sat down having his hands on her small shoulders. "Are you trying to run away from Hinamizawa?" Rika was just to respond that she would never intend to do something like that when he interrupted her. "Then you'd better hurry Rika-chama. Hinamizawa and it's fate is nothing for a little girl like you Rika-chama. Life is waiting out there isn't it?"

-"………….Nipa."

¤¤¤

Rika looked around her at the train station holding on to her luggage tightly. Tokyo was so much bigger then Hinamizawa, and she had never left the village after all. She looked around one more time and then she found a smaller bench that she could seat herself on. The people moved back and forward in front of her. Everything here went in a much faster speed then in Hinamizawa, but she would just have to get used to it. Even so she did miss the village more and more by the seconds.

-"Rika-chan!" She felt her face shine up as she heard his voice from the crowd and she spotted him immediately as he moved up to her. His face just as glad as hers when he saw her. "I can't believe that you made it all the way here to Tokyo by yourse-

Rika didn't know herself what must have come over her, but she let go of her luggage and grabbed hold of him in a hug tugging at the back of his coat with her small hands. "……Rika-chan……" She felt a warm feeling of comfort and belonging when she felt his arms returning the hug washing away all the doubt she'd felt about leaving Hinamizawa. She finally had somewhere she belonged, her message for help her finally been heard.

-------------


	2. Chapter 2 Salvation

Nakanaide-hen

Chapter 2 Salvation

Akasaka rubbed his eyes sleepily. Even if he had such a job as a police, demanding to be alert, he had never been a morning person. He yawned and rubbed his eyes again. He felt as if he was just going to go back to sleep when he heard the familiar giggle of Miyukies voice. Realising that his daughter was already awake, and might be playing with who knows what, he quickly got up and out of the bed room. The moment he opened the door the scent of friend eggs reached him almost as a shock. He stopped for a moment to remember what was really wrong. But as a single parent of course he was full with worries of his childs safety, those he hurried across the apartments livingroom floor and into the kitchen.

-"Miyuk!- He was stopped in his sentence and remained standing at the entrance to the kitchen watching the scene.

-"There's no need to worry Akasaka-san. I happened to wake up early and decided to start breakfast. Nipa." Akasaka breathed out a sigh of relif as he saw that, apparently, Rika had full control over the situation of making breakfast and looking after Miyukie, entertaining her as well it seemed.

-"I never expected that you of Rika-chan. Handling everything so much by yourself."

-"I'm a bit used to it. There's not a problem Akasaka-san." He finally dropped his worried look and returned the smile to her.

-"But I shouldn't let kids do all these things. It makes me ashamed as a parent."

-"I don't mind helping. It makes me very glad." Her head returned to the eggs and turned one of them over. "Akasaka-san must've had it troublesome on your own." That last comment left a silence hanging over the kitchen. It was finally broken by Miyukie who now was tugging at her fathers pyjamas pants.

-"Daddy. I like Rika-oneechan, why hasn't Rika-oneechan lived with us before daddy?" Akasaka smiled at that and bent down in front of her and lift her up.

-"Well Miyukie, Rika-chan was living somewhere else before."

-"And now she's living with us?" The little three-year-old girl chipped, seeming mentally convinced that Rika was already a part of the family in that way small children are.

-"Well." Akasaka could feel torn between telling his daughter the truth and break her heart; or doing to opposite. As always compromise is the best solution. "She's staying here for a while."

¤¤¤

Rika felt how her lips was drawn up in a smiling hearing the conversation between father and daughter behind her back. Miyukie was giving of the same warm feeling like Akasaka. She was easy to hold close to her heart.

-"Nipa! It's done!" She got the eggs of the frying pan and onto a plate. "Mii, if I know you were going to wake up I'd done something more then just eggs with pepper and salt." Rika said, making it sound like she talked to herself, but was obviously meant to be heard.

-"No, no, no Rika-chan." Still with her back turned towards them she could feel his expression being flushed with embarrassment. It just made her smile more to herself.

-"Well it's ready for taking then. I should just set the table." But before she got of the small stool she had been standing on Akasaka had already put down Miyukie on the floor and started doing that himself.

She didn't protest, he couldn't know that she knew allot about house keeping, maybe even more then he did. So instead she turned her attention to Miyukie, who had now sat down on the floor blinking at her. Rika went over to her and patted her on the head.

-"What does Miyukie want more then eggs?"

_Satoko._

_Her face looking slightly disturbed from Rika patting her head, like she would be much older then her or something._

"_Stop it Rika don't treat me like a kid you to. How can I ever grow up to a fine lady if you keep treating me like a kid?" She turned away trying to look as independent as possible. But somehow, Rika knew that she was torn up inside. Torn up because there was no Satoshi; and she was alone, there was no one to pat her head any longer._

-"Milk." Rika found herself snapping back to reality.

-"Miii Like a cat then?"

-"Cat?" Miyukie tilted her head, her big eyes looking questioning.

-"Yes, the ones that say "Nya. Nya" " Rika illustrated a cat paws motion in front of the little girl, who, as on cue, started laughing and then reached out both of her, still a bit chubby, arms against her.

-"Rika-oneechan. Hug!" Unable to resist the unstained love coming from the little girl Rika lift her up in a hug and started caring her towards the kitchen table that was all set for eating. Rika placed down Miyukie on the child's seat and seated herself on another chair, looking across the table seeing Akasaka, who was still looking over that everything was in place while scratching the back of his head slightly.

-"Rika-chan." She looked up from her breakfast.

-"Mi?"

-"I'll show you around a bit later. Tokyo must still seem like such a big city to you."

-"I'd like that very much." She said with a shiny smile.

¤¤¤

Rika was in a somewhat daze sitting in the backseat of the car with Miyukie. Both of them were looking out the windows as they slowly moved forward at Tokyos highly trafficked streets.

-"We're going to kindergarden. There's a pink wall at kindergarden." Miyukie said suddenly sounding very proud. Rika smiled and listened to what the child had to say as she continued. "I like the pink wall very much, it's very pretty."

-"Nipa! I'm sure of that. I'd really like to see it sometime."

-"Rika-oneechan."

-"Hai?" Rikas voice now as sunny as her smile. A slightly strained smile but in overall fully enjoyed and happy.

-"Why do you say "Nipa"?"

-"…………"

¤¤¤

Miyukie seemed sad to leave Rika in the car when Akasaka took her into the kindredgarden. But in just a few seconds she had seemed to loose herself talking with her father. Rika breathed out and laid herself out in the backseat, eyes closed letting the sun shine in through the window. She didn't really keep track on time but soon she heard his voice.

-"Rika-chan?" She got up and rubbed her eye just a little.

-"How did it go Akasaka-san?"

-"It went just fine Rika-chan. How about coming to the front seat now? We're going to……" He looked thinking, probably pondering of what child activities she might like. She found herself warm on the inside from such genuine concern and decided to save him the situation.

-"I'd like to go to the zoo. I haven't seen that many special animals."

-"Right. The zoo it is then." He took Rikas hand and helped her out of the car, closing the door behind her and opened the front one. She got into the seat and got her belt on.

-"So what kind of zoo do you want to go to?"

-"The nicest one. Nipa!"

¤¤¤

It was actually nice to have Rika-chan here. It was as if I finally came to understanding in how worried I'd been over her. After all she did predict her own death and many other deaths of others. In truth I would have wanted to ask her about them. But something kept me from doing that. I just wanted to grasp the time we had right now. Fearing that if I didn't, it might just fly away from me.

She looked at the city going by us with such clear eyes, taking in everything she saw. Her small hand hell onto mine gently as she reached out to pat the horse on its nose carefully.

"You're eating well horse-san?"

The feelings around her were honest. And the look on her face was happy. Carefree in a way I cannot recall seeing it before. She was acting, as if she was a bluebird set free from its cage.

"Ice cream, mint with chocolate flavour please. Nipa!"

I never thought she would adjust this quickly to be honest. She came yesterday and is already acting like she's been living with us for several years. I didn't think village people could adapt to the city so quickly. But that was in truth irrelevant.

-"Akasaka-san?" Her hand still tucked in mine.

-"Yes Rika-chan?"

-"I really like it here. It's like, as if, I've come to a real family."

¤¤¤

"_A real family."_

_What doesn't make the Houjo family, or__ the Sonozaki family a real one?; and what of the Furude family, isn't that a real one. The one you abounded. Furude Rika._

Rika sat strait up in her bed, no she wasn't panting or anything. Just a startled waking. She looked over her shoulder, out the window. She could see the moon shining clearly. That dream had been chasing her for the latest two nights now. She carefully got up and tapped across the floor, pass Akasakas futon and then Miyukies. She carefully opened the door and just as carefully, shut it behind her. And then she allowed herself to pant. It had been two weeks now. Two weeks since she came here, and with the exception of that time when she saw Satoko on the first day, and this very night; everything had been comfortably silent.

But now the voice had spoken to her again. Why was she so upset? When it had spoken to her before she had accepted it without a problem, she had nothing to fear from the voice, for as long as she had been in-

She cut her own thought of and closed her eyes. If she simply ignored it maybe it would leave her alone eventually. Maybe it would allow her to search for happiness. She pinched her eyes even harder.

Back when she lived in Hinamizawa she had listened to the voice instructions, to Oyashiro-samas instructions, she knew that in the long run they served for a greater good, right?

Right? Since when had she even wondered if she could question Oyashiro-samas will? She shut that thought out as well, was she turning stubborn? Then she, half ran and half walked, across the floor and over to the kitchen were she looked up a glass and turned on the water. She would crawl back to bed later, but now she needed something to drink.

Yes, it would all go well. These people were so kind to her, she kept them so close, she'd do anything to keep them save, and she'd do anything to stay with them. They truly had, in such a short time, become her family, her way out.

She sat down on her futon, the glass half full in her hands, she eyed over at Akasakas sleeping form and she could also hear Miyukies light breathing on the other side of him. Ones again she looked up at the window and the full moon; then back at Akasaka; and then back at her own glass in her hands.

Drip………Drip………Drip

-"…..Mii…." She said in a low tone to herself as she rubbed the tears from her eyes with her pyjamas jacket arm. (I shouldn't be crying. I have finally found happiness.) Even if she wanted to smile she couldn't. (Then if I am not the one crying. Whose tears are these then?) "…………..Satoko?"

-----------------------------


	3. Chapter 3 Silence

Nakanaide-hen

Chapter 3 Silence.

Rika was eating her strawberry filled crêpe in silence together with Akasaka. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence: As a matter of fact the silence was very enjoyable. Only a few small birds picking around on the ground. The park was fairly clean and even if there was the smell of city there was also the smell of summer. Rika took a deep breath feeling that life, for ones, was pleasant and without worries. She had accepted that the guilt of leaving Satoko behind would most likely be with her for many years; maybe even her entire life. But Satoko would have wanted her to search for happiness wouldn't she? Rika shook her head trying to get the doubt away from her mind. Those images of what her best friend would have to go through; all alone. But were there are sad memories.

-"Rika-chan?" There are also happy ones.

-"Mi?"

-"I'm working a bit late tomorrow; but the day after that, what do you say we'll go to the beach. The weather will be wonderful then." Both of their attention was drawn to the sky above them where they could see some black clouds coming in.

-"Nipa. Well today doesn't seem like a good day for the beach." She blinked out in nowhere as she heard the sound of an umbrella being drawn up followed by the sound of rain drops dripping down on them. She turned her eyes from the now grey sky to Akasaka. "Mii…"

-"I just thought you wanted to finish your crêpe first."

-"That is very kind of you Akasaka-san."

-"Don't think about it."

-"Mii. Cats don't like rain." She said seemingly out of nowhere.

-"Cats?" He looked away from Rika seeing a white brown spotted cat hurry across the park. Getting shelter under a tree for a little moment trying to get the rain away. But for no avail and it had to continue to look for another place.

Cats don't like water. They can't shake it away from their fur in the same way dogs can. They can't forget about it so quickly. So being out in the rain; is the worst thing a cat knows and finding a temporary shelter isn't enough. Because eventually it will have to go out in the rain again. The drops stuck in the fur reminds it that it needs a place to come home to. So that someone will dry it of. Rika felt that she was that cat. Trying to run away from the Hinamizawa rain that cut stuck in her fur, and she couldn't get rid of it herself. She needed someone to dry her of; or better yet. Someone who would shelter her from the rain in the first place.

Rika heard the phone ring in the distance, someone answering it allowing her to sleep longer. The sun wasn't shinning in through the window, it was most likely raining. She sat up on her futon and yawned wondering how she was going to plan out school. She had to go to school; she wanted to have an education after all. She looked over at Miyukie who was sucking her thumb while sleeping. She smiled and patted the sleeping girl on the head. Today she had plans, or well, they had all planned to go to an amusement park, even if Miyukie couldn't go on must attractions Rika was still looking forward to it; she hadn't been to any real amusement park before after all.

She closed her eyes listening to the sound of pouring raindrops as she leaned against his arm.

-(It is raining. But the rain isn't falling on me.)

¤¤¤

The next day was Monday and Rika walked towards the entrance to the kindergarden. Miyukies hand in hers. She was happily chattering in what she was going to do at the kindergarden. Rika listened haphazardly, not because of lacking interest; rather because her head was among the clouds this very day.

-"Rika-oneechan?" Rika looked down at Miyukie seeing her big brown eyes blinking at her.

-"Hai, Nipa"

-"Can you come and pick me up later."

-"Won't Akasaka-san do that?"

-"Well……" Miyukie looked like she had something embarrassing to confess. "I just want Rika-oneechan to pick me up." At first Rikas eyes appeared distant, but she cheered up in the next moment.

-"Nipa! Of course."

¤¤¤

Rika has been living with us for a week now. She's been taking care of so many things, and life has gotten so much easier. But it feels wrong to use a guest, even a little girl, like that. It's not like she's a maid or something.

Akasaka smiled to himself while driving home from his work. The traffic wasn't heavy today so he was free at the moment so he could drive faster then during the usual traffic stock that Tokyo had. It still wasn't late and he would have time to get home, pick up Rika-chan, and then Miyukie from kindergarden. All in a good time frame. Suddenly in the blink of a moment he saw a figure in the middle of the street, standing still as the car was all too rapidly coming closer.

-"Mi"

-"Rika-chan!!" He hit the breaks as hard as he could making the car slide and before he knew it a car had hit him behind and he was knocked unconscious.

¤¤¤

Where is Akasaka-san? He should've been here to pick me up by now. I can see darkness climbing up the walls in front of my view. Yes, the sun is still shinning outside, but that won't stop the darkness from climbing up the walls on the inside.

I make my own prison.

Where is Akasaka-san?

_Furude Rika._

I don't want to listen to you. Stop telling me your lies. I just, I just want to live a happy life. Why won't you let me seek happiness with these people? I care for these people and they make me happy.

_From__ below-_

Rika shut her eyes and let everything turn black hoping that it would block out the voice, but it didn't. Then, as if to break the trace on purpose, the phone called. Rika opened her eyes slowly and got up from the wall she had been sitting against and walked across the room to pick up the phone.

-"Akasaka residence. This is Rika speaking." Her cheerful tone was quickly removed when she heard Miyukies voice on the other end, so drenched in tears so that Rika could barely hear her words.

-"Da, daddy. Daddys gone! Rika-onechan, he, help me!!" Rika felt the phone slid out of her grasp and hit the floor.

-"Aka…saka-san…"

_it devours._


	4. Chapter 4 Little you

Nakanaide-hen

Chapter 4 Little you.

-"Akasaka-san! Akasaka-san!"

-"Daddy! Daddy!" He felt his eyelid flicker as he came around managing to see the hospital roof and two worried faces leaning over him.

-"Ah. Miyukie. Rika-chan." His voice sounded tired but he managed to smile.

-"You must lay still Akasaka-san." Rika almost pushed him back in the bed. Her voice had such a worried tone to it. Then Miyukie burst out in tears. Akasaka was about to move up to comfort her but Rika was quicker. "Don't worry Miyukie-chan." She hugged her and patted her head. He breathed out lying back down in the bed seeing that Rika held a somewhat control over the situation. He was actually lucky to have her. Things were allot easier and their apartment felt much more alive. He closed his eyes for a short moment. But a short moment was all it took for all the images of last nights event to return to him and he sat strait up in the hospital bed.

-"Rika-chan!!" But as he looked around he could see that the sun was setting, making the room seem to bath in orange; and he was alone. Apparently, that short moment had been several hours of sleep.

Well now the pain seemed to have left him enough for him to consider himself being well enough to go back home. What he had seen last night must have been some sort of hallucination. He shook his head letting his forehead rest in his hand. Yes, he simply must have been hallucinating. He took a deep breath to gather himself up and then called for the nurse to inform them that he was ready to leave.

¤¤¤

The lights in the kitchen were dim. Even though there was silence in the room, it was not a heavy silence. It was a silence caused by the feeling that the other one wanted silence. A lonely lamp was hanging at the roof giving of that single dim light. Even if there were more lamps in the apartment only that single one was lit as the rest of the apartment was lying in darkness.

-"Don't worry Miyukie-chan." Rika said as calm as she could manage while steering the soup around.

-"But, but Ri, Rika-oneechan." Miyukie hadn't fully stopped her sobbing and she kept sobbing for a short time until Rika was done with the soup and put it aside starting to pour it over in a bowl to each of them.

-"Yes?" She used her most comforting tone.

-"When will daddy come home?" Rika smiled softly trying to calm the child's fear.

-"It will go well. Don't worry Nipa!" Her face lit up and she got a smile from Miyukie.

-"Rika-oneechan. You'll stay with us won't you?"

_What about the others tears? What about those you left behind? Those that need you?_

-"..Miii…."

-"Rika-oneechan?"

-"Well, Miyukie-chan. You see I." (Why am I hesitating?... I am Oyashiro-samas priestess………Miyukie-chan……Akasaka-san……You make me feel like I belong. You make me feel that I've found happiness. I would want to spend all my days here with you……But.)

_You can not fully escape it. Just because "escape" would be the wrong word. No matter what you wish and what you will. You. Furude Rika, is the priestess of Oyashiro-sama._

_Thus you are the only one that can save Hinamizawa._

-(I have no wish to save a place that I know I can not find happiness in…..)

_Then what about the ones that care about you. The ones that you care for?_

-(I care for many people. I care for these people as well. What about their happiness? I know that I can give them happiness. I can feel it within my grasp.)

_You should not escape your fate Furude Rika. You must clear up in Hinamizawa_

-(But I don't want to………I love these people! I want to live with them!)

-"Rika-oneechan?"

¤¤¤

Akasaka set of in his car ones again to head home. He hadn't expected himself to be this late. How troublesome. Well all that he could do was to make it up for them somehow. He trusted Rika-chan to take care of Miyukie. Then he came to think of it, that in truth he had become dependant on Rika-chan do help him out. She surely had been helpful, and kind as well.

He smiled to himself, he had to admit it was like having a second daughter. He got out of the car.

He opened the door and started heading up the stairs. He tried to turn on the light but it seemed it was unwilling to cooperate with him. When he got p to the fourth floor he stopped. There was a feeling; a bad feeling. He unlocked the door and walked into the apartment. It was all dark save the flickering of a weak lamp in the living room.

-(Did they go outside?) "Miyukie-chan? Rika-chan?" He got of his shoes and tried turning on the light. It didn't work. "Miyukie-chan?! Rika-chan?!" There was no answer.

There is blood on the floor. But there are no cries of pain. There should never be cries to pain. You will find the body of your daughter on the floor, and there will be no life in her. I don't know what got into me at that moment. Maybe it was because I sincerely struggled against obeying; since I didn't want to leave.

This brief illusion of happiness was never meant to be. It was something I was never meant to have. There were people I wasn't allowed to leave and disappoint. I acted so selfish. I need to rewind time; to stop this from happening. To give you a peaceful life here, that's the least I should offer you.

Akasaka-san I love you. Not as the child that is the prison of my physical body; but as the woman that is my mind and heart. Sometimes to love is to let go. I should be happy that I got this moment of selfish desire, even if I will never have it again I will remember it. Store it in the back of my mind and try to remember when the time is the hardest. The footsteps no longer appear hostile to me. I will reach out my hand to try to give the happiness to those people who's happiness I was about to throw away. Maybe we will meet somewhere in the future Akasaka-san, but I doubt it.

So, let us go Hanyuu.

Fin.


End file.
